A DEMENTED MOTHER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 307, 31 December 1909, Page 5

A DEMENTED MOTHER.

SHOOTS HER F*MER CHILDREN.

AND ATTEMPTS TO COMMIT , , ,:,. . SC£CLDEv-:-.*-- - " TWO CHILDREN DEAD. [press association.] (Received Dec. 31, 10.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Dec. 31. A fearfcul tragedy is reported from Cosgrove, near Dookie. \ Lena Clugston, a farm labourer s wife, shot her four children and herself with a .pea-4-ifle. When neighbours reached the house they found Maggie, aged 7, and Violet (3) dead, andßosie (8) and Willy (2) wounded, the latter, dangerously, while the mother''was wounded by a shot through the stomach. The Rvoman, who is believed to be demented, evidently placed the weapon against the : children's bodies; each was shot beneath the heart.

When asked the reason for committing the deed, the mother merely replied "They caused it." She left a letter for her husband, who was absent at work at the time.